19 at-bats, no hits…batting average of 0.061 in 10 games…Will ‘11.5 billion won’ FA Kim Jae-hwan’s betrayal rebound as coach Lee Seung-yeop believes
No. 2 Kim Jae-ho (38) then hit a heavy hit and scored additional points with an opponent infielder’s defensive error and an infield grounder by a follow-up batter.
In the bottom of the fourth inning with a 3-1 lead, No. 9 Huh Kyung-min (33) hit a timely triple to the right. Taking advantage of the opponent’s throwing error, he dug into the home and turned the flow completely. Veteran players in their 30s, Jung Soo-bin, Kim Jae-ho, and Huh Kyung-min, made a 5-3 victory.
They started with Doosan and are only playing for Doosan. Center fielder Jung Soo-bin and third baseman Huh Kyung-min signed FA (free agent) contracts for 6 years – 5.6 billion won and 7 years – 8.5 billion won, respectively, prior to the 2021 season. Shortstop Kim Jae-ho signed a four-year-5 billion won FA contract in 2017 and signed a three-year-2.5 billion won contract ahead of the 2021 season.
There was one more FA player on Doosan’s batting line that day. No. 6-Kim Jae-hwan, who played as a left fielder, had no hits in four at-bats. He hit a grounder to second base in the first inning and stepped down with a fly ball to second base in the fourth and fifth innings. In the eighth inning, he was out with a fly ball to left field.
A super-special FA player who signed a four-year contract worth KRW 11.5 billion fell to the bottom. The slump continues throughout the season, raising suspicions that it is not a temporary slump.
From the match against the Hanwha Eagles on August 2 to the match against Samsung on August 8, he had no hits in 19 at-bats and 18 at-bats. He got on base only once with a walk. It’s a chronic slump, but it’s more serious recently. In the past 10 games, he had two hits in 33 at-bats without a home run, a batting average of 61 with four outs, and two RBIs.
In 128 games last year, the first year of his contract, he recorded .248 (111 hits in 448 at-bats), 23 home runs, and 72 RBIs. From 2016 to 2021, he averaged .34 percent, 188 home runs, and 678 RBIs over six years, which fell short of expectations. However, compared to this year, it is a good performance.
As of the 8th, the season’s batting average is .224, 65 hits, eight home runs, and 33 RBIs. As the slump sticks, there will be games that will be excluded from the starting lineup. He started two of the three consecutive games against the KT Wiz last weekend on the bench. In the match against Hanwha on August 2, he struck out three times as the sixth player.
This is a slump that no one expected. So far, Doosan has been a team that doesn’t know failure when it comes to FA contracts. It carefully considered its utility and evaluated its future value to make choices and focus. Yang Eui-ji, a 36-year-old veteran catcher who returned last winter with 4+2 years and a total of 15.2 billion won, has a batting average of .323, nine home runs, and 44 RBIs.
At this point, Kim Jae-hwan is almost the only case of Doosan’s FA contract failure.
Why did Kim Jae-hwan, one of the best hitters in the KBO League, fall into a deep quagmire. Various analyses and explanations are possible. First of all, the loss of motivation under the FA contract. It is the most common and common sense reasoning.
There were many cases where the performance was sluggish at the beginning of a long-term contract and then improved in the season ahead of the renewal. In other words, the sense of emptiness after achieving the once-in-a-lifetime goal of FA contract has lost power. It’s kind of a burnout.
Prospective FAs pour out every game under tremendous mental pressure. It is common to hide most injuries and play games. There can be no aftereffects from this. It may take time to recover to the best physical condition, or it may be difficult to recover.
The “aging curve” according to the age of mid-30s is also suspected. Born in 1988, Kim Jae-hwan is 35 years old this year. Obviously, the age to show peak performance is a little past. However, it is not an age group that rapidly collapses due to physical weakness. But considering that each player has a difference
If grades fall and failures accumulate, the mental burden increases. There is a vicious cycle of losing confidence and worse performance.
The most frustrating thing is Lee Seung-yeop (47). It should be utilized in some way. No matter how bad the performance is, there is a name value that presses the opposing pitcher at bat. 토토사이트
Coach Lee said, “I exercise more than anyone else, and I work hard.” I don’t want to see the current slump as an “aging curve.” I’m not old enough yet. He said, “I’ve lost a lot of confidence, and I believe it will rebound when a good ball comes out.”
Even Lee, who has experienced countless times, has no choice but to watch. I can give you advice, but the player has to get up on his own.
Coach Lee said, “I hope you do it with more confidence and responsibility. Please respect Kim Jaehwan’s skills and career